Mr Angry The problem we have is this; for us to move to the next stage the club will have to get players who are better than we have now; this will mean paying salaries far in excess of that which our current players are on or which the club - thus far - have been willing to consider paying.
PlatypussMr Angry The problem we have is this; for us to move to the next stage the club will have to get players who are better than we have now; this will mean paying salaries far in excess of that which our current players are on or which the club - thus far - have been willing to consider paying.
The strange thing is that up to a few weeks ago, this is exactly what Coppell was saying we were prepared to do and had to do.
However, it looks like he's now back to the "quite happy with the squad if no one comes in" mantra.
The whole year innPlatypussMr Angry The problem we have is this; for us to move to the next stage the club will have to get players who are better than we have now; this will mean paying salaries far in excess of that which our current players are on or which the club - thus far - have been willing to consider paying.
The strange thing is that up to a few weeks ago, this is exactly what Coppell was saying we were prepared to do and had to do.
However, it looks like he's now back to the "quite happy with the squad if no one comes in" mantra.
Agreed. I hope a couple of decent results haven't gone to his head.
Cemy Junction Expat For what it's worth here's how I read the tea leaves:
Mr Mad is now focused on the exit strategy (flogging the club) and is therefore firmly in "maintenance" as opposed to "growth" investment mode. In other words just wants to spend the minimum required for us to stay in the Prem, so he still has something he can sell, asopposed to investing what it would take to start building us as contenders for 6th place or better.
SSC is very happy with this because, having got us into the Prem, it's infinitely easier to meet an expectation of making 17th or better with just "maintenance" investment, as opposed to making 6th or better with "growth" investment. We all know that, if Mr Mad was persuaded to take up a growth strategy, he would want to acheive it with minimal investment and this would put SSC in a much harder position than he is in today.
I don't think SSC has any burning ambition to lead the club (or any club) into a fight for European cup places, and the whole pressure-cooker life that goes with it. I think he derives much greater satisfaction from getting the best out of a team of average players, and showing a good return on the resources put at his disposal. He was playing at the top of his game by getting us into the Prem, and is now probably fairly comfortable that he can keep us here.
To the point made above: he knows how to make the right noises about investment in order to keep the current squad on its toes, but I think that his real belief system is about avoiding upsetting the apple cart by bringing in big wage prima donnas, as he has also repeatedly stated in the past.
So in summary, SSC is absolutely the man for the job if you are Mr Mad, but probably not if you are a RFC fan who now wants to see the club move firmly into growth mode.
UkeCemy Junction Expat For what it's worth here's how I read the tea leaves:
Mr Mad is now focused on the exit strategy (flogging the club) and is therefore firmly in "maintenance" as opposed to "growth" investment mode. In other words just wants to spend the minimum required for us to stay in the Prem, so he still has something he can sell, asopposed to investing what it would take to start building us as contenders for 6th place or better.
SSC is very happy with this because, having got us into the Prem, it's infinitely easier to meet an expectation of making 17th or better with just "maintenance" investment, as opposed to making 6th or better with "growth" investment. We all know that, if Mr Mad was persuaded to take up a growth strategy, he would want to acheive it with minimal investment and this would put SSC in a much harder position than he is in today.
I don't think SSC has any burning ambition to lead the club (or any club) into a fight for European cup places, and the whole pressure-cooker life that goes with it. I think he derives much greater satisfaction from getting the best out of a team of average players, and showing a good return on the resources put at his disposal. He was playing at the top of his game by getting us into the Prem, and is now probably fairly comfortable that he can keep us here.
To the point made above: he knows how to make the right noises about investment in order to keep the current squad on its toes, but I think that his real belief system is about avoiding upsetting the apple cart by bringing in big wage prima donnas, as he has also repeatedly stated in the past.
So in summary, SSC is absolutely the man for the job if you are Mr Mad, but probably not if you are a RFC fan who now wants to see the club move firmly into growth mode.
Sensible post!
The main problem that people don't see is that there are more than six clubs with "growth" investment with very little to fall back on when (not if) it goes tits up. They cannot all fill all six places and their players get the hump, fail to perform and they plummet down to the Championship. Its almost as if Leeds never happened.
We are maintaining our brick-by-brick approach to growth which means we have been moving forwards since Sir John took over.
Let it continue.
Platypuss Even when building "brick by brick" is it not reasonable to expect a stronger squad after two years?
Uke Not if its sufficient to keep your place in the league, even if the fans (and defenders) get squeaky-bum time.
UkePlatypussUke Yes, but that's an increase in Maintenance costs rather than progression costs
The second but last line disagrees with you.
Not completely
Seeing the ambition is different from spending to show ambition
PlatypussUkePlatypussUke Yes, but that's an increase in Maintenance costs rather than progression costs
The second but last line disagrees with you.
Not completely
Seeing the ambition is different from spending to show ambition
Not when Coppell equates the two it isn't.
The expanded stadium reference is also obviously not part of a maintenance strategy.
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